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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28302705">Have Yourself a Kind of Okay Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Streetdiaper/pseuds/Streetdiaper'>Streetdiaper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Eve, Good Parent Din Djarin, M/M, Not Beta Read</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:34:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28302705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Streetdiaper/pseuds/Streetdiaper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Christmas Eve and Din had been dragged to the only tree lot still open in Chicago.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin &amp; Cara Dune, Din Djarin &amp; Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker, The Armorer (The Mandalorian TV) &amp; Cara Dune, The Armorer (The Mandalorian TV) &amp; Din Djarin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>296</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Have Yourself a Kind of Okay Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I started writing this at 1 am when I was a little tipsy so if it isn't good I blame red wine. </p><p>btw "Amy" = the armorer. It's hard to incorporate someone with that title into a modern au.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was Christmas Eve and Din had been dragged to the only tree lot still open in Chicago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din had always sworn he would never do the whole “Christmas” thing. Sure, he ate the cookies friends dropped on his stoop, but that was more about not wanting to waste food and less about believing it was some prophet’s birthday. Cara had even convinced him to take shots of rumplemintz at a party years ago, but he had trouble denying her even when she wasn’t yelling about the Christmas spirit in her light-up, ugly Christmas sweater. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, he had become a foster parent. He had considered it for years, being a product of the system himself. He could never forget the joy he felt he was to be adopted by his father and he had been waiting for the opportunity to welcome a child into his own home once he’d found solid work and a comfortable apartment. As a single person, he had waited longer for placement than most married couples did, but the minute he had seen Grogu, Din knew that was the child he had been waiting for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din met Grogu in August. Child Services had hoped to find Grogu a place to stay before the majority of schools were in session. Grogu was non-verbal and his previous foster parents, often dealing with multiple children under their roofs, had struggled to provide the care and attention the child needed. When the social worker had reached out, Din had originally been hesitant. He’d met children before, ready to take them home and welcome them into his life, only for them to end up at different placements; he hadn’t wanted to get his hopes up again. But as soon as he saw the small boy sitting in the social services office, Din knew this child would come home with him. Grogu had been sitting in a chair, taking in the flurry of movement around him. The pair had made eye contact and Din had known. He couldn’t leave the office without the boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since their first meeting, Din and Grogu had grown as a family of two. Din learned that the boy had a deep love for the color green and putting anything and everything in his mouth. At Halloween, Din had subjected himself to the costumes (Cara had insisted the Din and Grogu dress as the clownfish from a Disney movie the child seemed to enjoy) and gone door to door asking for treats. Din couldn’t bring himself to regret the silly costume when Grogu had fallen asleep in his costume with a small smile on his face. At Thanksgiving, Din had brought Grogu to the dinner hosted by Greef. Everyone in attendance had cooed over the boy, but respected his need to stay near Din for the majority of the night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Christmas... Christmas was a different beast from other holidays. There were expectations, traditions people had to follow even if they had never been inside of a church. Over the years, Din had found excuse after excuse to get out of Christmas celebrations but now he had the kid. Din had gone to pick Grogu up from kindergarten and the two walked down the street hand-in-hand until Din felt a tug indicating the child had stopped. He turned to see what the boy was looking at and saw an elaborate window display for the department store they were passing. It had everything: a massive tree, a crackling fire, stockings stuffed, and dozens of presents under the tree. Din had sighed. He knew having a child in his home would change everything, he just hadn’t considered the holidays. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why don’t we have a tree?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grogu had signed once the pair had gone into Din’s apartment and the boy’s mittens had been removed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t usually get one,” Din said, preparing a quick snack for the boy. For such a small kid, he sure could put away food. “Would you want one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grogu was silent as he ate his snack. There were times when Din couldn’t tell if the boy was ignoring him or if he couldn’t hear him. Either way, Din had found the most success with waiting for the boy’s response. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It seems... nice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Grogu signed after several minutes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seems like what families do. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahh. Din had never bought into Christmas as an adult because of the terrible Christmases he’d had as a child: watching other children open presents when there were none for him, going to a church for hours, being forced to pack his clothes in a trash bag while the rest of the household ate dinner. Then, once Din’s father adopted him they had never celebrated Christmas. However, he hadn’t considered how the holiday would look to the newest member of his home. Grogu was still so young; even if he had celebrated holidays in the past, he likely couldn’t remember them. Every tv station had been airing Christmas specials for the last month, so Din shouldn’t be surprised the boy wanted to celebrate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Christmas is in a week. That’s why you’re out of school. I still have to work part of the week, but we can... decorate?” Din had never had a full Christmas celebration. He wasn’t sure what exactly it would entail, but he could see Grogu was excited just at the prospect. Din texted Amy frantically.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>To Amy: What do people do for Christmas?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>From Amy: Do you not consider yourself “people”?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>To Amy: Stop being smart. Kid wants to do Christmas. I don’t do that. Where do I start?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>From Amy: I’m surprised you didn’t ask me sooner, Cara wanted to know what your plans were weeks ago. To start, get a tree and put some ornaments on it. Maybe some lights for your fire escape. Watch “Home Alone” or one of the thousands of other Christmas movies. Then, buy the kid some presents and tell him a fat, white man brought them. Make some cookies. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>To Amy: That’s too much. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>From Amy: Meet me and Cara at Target in 40 minutes. We’ll get you the essentials. Prepare for the worst. Christmas makes people insane. </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Din sighed. This was already a lot. But when he told the kid they were going to meet his aunts at the store, the excitement on his face made it clear that this year Din Djarin was going to celebrate Christmas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe they were out of trees,” Cara said as Din pushed a cart loaded with stockings, ornaments, and assorted goodies to his car. Two hours and several hundred dollars later, Din felt more exhausted than he ever had after shopping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a week before Christmas. Most people got their trees weeks ago,” Amy said as she looked at her phone. “Karga is no help. He said his family always goes and cuts a fresh tree. Some farm 2 hours away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Out of the question,” Din said with a sigh. “I’m not driving outside the city this late.”</span>
</p><p><span>“It’s not even an option. They’re out of trees</span>. But Karga said he’ll ask around, see if anyone is still selling this late.” </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm,” Din silently buckled the kid into his car seat. They’d gotten the stockings, some presents, a gingerbread house, but Grogu had kept signing </span>
  <em>
    <span>tree</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Who else do we know who would have one? Cobb?” Cara and Amy both snorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Vanth books himself a ticket to any vacation destination near the equator every year. I don’t think he even registers it as Christmas anymore,” Cara said as she scrolled through her phone. “What about Peli? She’d do anything to make the kid happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jewish. We went to her place for Hannukah last year, remember?” Amy said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, what’s the deal with that Ahsoka chick?” Cara asked. “Wasn’t she part of some really strict religion? Maybe she has a tree she wants to get rid of.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahsoka’s “deal” is that she assists at Grogu’s school. It’s not appropriate to ask her,” Din responded as he pulled out of the parking lot. The traffic was a mess. He just wanted to get away from the cars angrily honking at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already dm’d her on instagram,” Cara said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cara, what the hell? How’d you even find her?” Cara just raised one eyebrow at Din, as if she couldn’t believe he was doubting her social media sleuthing skills. “Whatever, you still shouldn’t have asked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She just responded and said a friend of a friend happens to be working at a tree lot in the city. Good news, they still have trees. Bad news, the prices are ridiculously jacked. Some kind of “last weekend before the holiday” push.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great,” Din said with a sigh.“So my options are to spend hundreds or no tree.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold up,” Cara interrupted. “Apparently, the guy Ahsoka knows said all the prices are going to drop on Christmas Eve. If you don’t mind waiting till Thursday, you can have your pick of the runts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din sighed and then looked at Grogu in the rearview mirror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think, kid? Wait till Thursday?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grogu met Din’s eyes in the mirror and then nodded. Looks like they would wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din spent the week doing every Christmas activity he could think of with the kid. They watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, decorated a gingerbread house that immediately fell apart, and wrapped the small gifts Din and Grogu had picked out for each other. They even wore the matching pajamas Cara had insisted they had to buy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din was thankful by the time Thursday rolled around. The kid had insisted they clear a space for the tree early in the week, so there had been a massive empty spot in the apartment. Every holiday movie they watched, the kid would look at the tree on the screen, then look at the empty spot, then look at Din. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weather was horrible as Din and Grogu drove to the address Ahsoka had passed along. Thankfully, they weren’t going far, but Din wasn’t looking forward to standing in a random parking lot to stare at trees. They finally found the place and Din saw what Ahsoka meant by runts. The tree selection was sparse and there appeared to be only one employee stuck working. Din made sure the kid’s hat, gloves, and coat were secure before pulling him out of his booster seat. The employee perked up as he saw them approach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! You two wouldn’t happen to be looking for a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve would you?” The kid said with a goofy smile. He was blond, somehow managing to look sunkissed in the middle of Chicago winter. His hair was poking out from under a ridiculously bright green hat with a red pompom on top, but somehow it looked charming on the man. The hat, combined with his smile and his cheeks, red from the cold, was oddly charming. Din stared as the guy raised an eyebrow at him. Din realized he’d been quiet a long time. Shit. He had asked a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh... Yeah. Are you Luke? Ahsoka told us you had some kind of deal,” Din really hoped the red in his face could be blamed on the harsh winds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Luke said with a nod. “Most of these will be shredded tomorrow, so you can have your pick for 25 bucks.” Din looked down at the kid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard him, we have our pick. Look around and we’ll get whichever one you want.” Grogu nodded at Din before approaching the nearest tree, running around to look at it from every angle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cute kid,” Luke said as he came to stand next to Din while they waited for Grogu’s choice. “A bit late to be getting a tree though, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the kid’s first Christmas with me. I don’t normally do the whole... holiday thing,” Din said. “I don’t think I’m doing it right though. Most of the movies don’t involve getting a scrappy tree on Christmas Eve.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re out in horrible weather doing something just to make your kid happy for Christmas,” Luke said, turning towards Din. “I think you’re doing pretty okay.” Din’s breath caught in his throat. He coughed, hoping it covered the stutter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just met, isn’t it a little early to make judgments about my parenting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a good sense for these things,” Luke said with a smile. “Looks like your kid found one he likes.” The two walked over to the tree Grogu was next to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This the one?” Din asked, looking over the tree. Grogu nodded at Din very seriously. “We’ll take it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great! I’ll get it strapped to your car so you can get it home,” Luke said as he easily picked up the tree. Din watched him walk away. The kid had looked scrawny, but if he’d been working in the tree lot all season it made sense he had muscles under the puffy down coat he had on. Luke looked over his shoulder when he realized Din wasn’t following him. Shit. Din had been staring. And Luke had seen. And based on the kid tugging on his sleeve and the questioning look on his face, Grogu had noticed too. “You two coming?” Luke asked with a smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh... Yeah, right behind you.” Din unlocked the car and helped Luke boost the tree onto the roof. While Luke ran the twine over the tree and tied it down, Din got Grogu back into his car seat. Luke brushed his hands as he stood back from the car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, uh. Don’t worry about the money,” Luke said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, I have to pay you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, you don’t,” Luke said, shaking his head. “These things are getting turned into mulch tomorrow, they won’t notice one less tree.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t you get in trouble?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are they going to do, fire me? This is just seasonal work,” Luke said with a chuckle. “Besides, I’m honored. It’s not every day you sell a family their first Christmas tree.” Luke was looking up at Din through his lashes. His eyes were really blue. When had Din gotten close enough to see his eyes?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well... Thank you,” Din turned and started to walk to the car. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. Why the hell couldn’t he think of anything else to say?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you should take my number,” Luke called to him. “I mean, it’s your first tree. You might have questions once you get home. And I’m kind of an expert on Christmas trees.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din turned and saw Luke grinning at him. It was a really nice smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Din said as he pulled out his phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, text me if you have any issues. And let me know how it looks once it’s set up,” Luke said, handing Din his phone back. Then, he turned to wave at Grogu through the window. “Merry Christmas, you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merry Christmas, Luke,” Din said, getting back in the car. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>From Cara: Hey, how’d the tree thing work out??</b>
</p><p>
  <b>To Cara: Worked out okay. Thanks for setting this up. </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Din smiled and looked at Grogu in the rearview mirror. Snowflakes swirled around their car. Din took one last look at the blond walking back to the outdoor heater. Yeah, Christmas Eve worked out okay.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Remember how I was writing another fic and promised to update and then didn't for months? Well, here's a completely unrelated fic. Hope you guys enjoy! No matter what you celebrate, I hope you have a good December. </p><p>Luke is like "woah, hot dilf." Din is like "woah, hot twink." (technically Luke is a twunk tho) </p><p>I really like these characters.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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